Behind the veil of fame, an untold story of leather puppetry artists’ financial struggles

Dwindling patronage for the centuries-old intricate art form has resulted in the artists staring at a bleak future despite innovations and the designing of newer products

lampshades, photo frames etc. “Our products are available in the price range of ₹50 to ₹3 lakh. But not many know that such products are available with us,” says Durgesh wryly.

The families have taken up designing of newer products recently, such as waist belts — an ethnic leather version of ‘Vaddanam’ worn by women, fridge magnets, tabletop decor with LED lamps etc. A recent workshop by Megha Manjunath, an empanelled designer from the Directorate of Handicrafts, functioning under the Union Ministry of Textiles, offered tips to the women.

A market survey conducted by the Ministry found that elite buyers in metropolitan cities patronised Nimmalakunta products more, albeit with small yet highvalue purchases. This shows that awareness must percolate to the upper middle classes, who have the financial wherewithal to buy more frequently and in larger volumes.

Whither patronage?

Kullayappa bagged the UNESCO Award of Excellence in Malaysia in 2012 and received a honorary degree from the University of Vietnam. His name found entry in India Book of Records and Telugu Book of Records, and yet, he stares at a bleak future.

“I have participated in over 200 national and international exhibitions. All these records are great, but where are we headed,” Kullayappa throws a pointed question. These villagers recently performed a puppet show during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Veerabhadra Swamy temple in Lepakshi in January this year, which gave them a faint ray of hope.

While government patronage alone is not enough, they seek a change in people’s tastes and preferences to promote native art forms. Though the families in Nimmalakunta are training their younger generation in the art form, intending to pass on the centuriesold legacy for posterity, they are not quite sure whether puppetry will ensure a fruitful and remunerative career to their children. Similar to the largerthanlife images from the puppets shining on the white screen, the awards and records have apparently given Nimmalakunta a bloated image disproportionate to its livelihood requirements.